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Feds want 6 to 12 month sentence for Hillary Clinton 2008 backer

By JOSH GERSTEIN

09/25/2013 04:15 PM EDT

Federal prosecutors plan to seek a sentence of six to twelve months in custody for a New York marketing executive who allegedly ran an off-the-books effort to help Hillary Clinton win delegates in Texas during the race for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008, according to a plea agreement released Wednesday.

The executive, Troy White, pled guilty earlier this month to a single misdemeanor count of failing to file corporate tax returns. The agreement stipulates to sentencing guidelines which call for the six-to-twelve month sentence and a fine of between $2,000 and $20,000.

Under the agreement, posted here, White's lawyers reserved the right to argue for a lighter sentence. Under federal law, he can receive no more than a year in prison on the misdemeanor charge.

Prosecutors appear to be seeking information from White about his dealings with D.C. businessman Jeffrey Thompson, who is the focus of a federal investigation relating to an alleged shadow campaign to help D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray win the Democratic primary in 2010.

It's unclear precisely how broadly the investigation delved into Clinton's 2008 campaign, but court documents suggest that Thompson financed undisclosed spending of about $600,000 on "street teams" to build support for Clinton in Texas. White organized the effort, but apparently did not report the money on his company's tax returns.

The case has drawn national press attention because of indications that Clinton campaign adviser Minyon Moore was involved in discussions about dispatching the street teams in Texas. A statement of facts submitted in connection with White's plea (and posted here) indicates that an adviser to Clinton's campaign, reportedly Moore, shared the campaign's schedule information with White and arranged for the street teams to obtain campaign literature from Clinton campaign offices.

Clinton campaign officials have said they were not aware that White's efforts had gone forward.

Moore has not been publicly identified in court papers, nor has she been charged with wrongdoing. She has issued a statement through her employer, Dewey Square Group, saying she violated no laws or professional standards.